Irkallian Oracle – Apollyon (Nuclear War Now! Productions. 2016).

Irkallian Oracle – Apollyon (Nuclear War Now! Productions. 2016).

For all who are aware of this band, they know what to expect. The breath-taking Grave Ekstasis offered a horrifying glimpse into the crepuscular realm beyond the veils of human consciousness, where the emotionless, uncaring Void continues the process of universal destruction. On their second album, we delve further into the murky depths of the cosmos. From start to finish, the ritualistic, hypnotic droning riffs wax and wane, creating an uneasy, tense, inhuman atmosphere. Much like the previous effort, the lyrics are disturbing poetry, odes to the unfathomable forces of entropy that fit perfectly with the swirling music. It accentuates the fact that this is not merely an album, but a ritualistic experience, something summoned forth from the Abyss by those who worship Chaos. With regards to the sound quality on the album, I have no complaints. The drums for me are perfectly balanced, with the kick drum not being too loud, rather being secondary and thus creating an ominous rumbling that accentuates the more threatening snares and toms and the riffs. All of this has been carefully crafted to allow all the malevolent and terrifying abominations to flow through your ears and then intravenously through your body. The dark ambient/noise sections that appear on the album fit perfectly with the disorientating riffs, complimenting the desolate atmosphere and accentuating the sense that one is standing in the pitch-black vacuum of Space, being slowly torn apart at the subatomic level by the unimaginable powers of entropy. A perfect example is the ending of the album, or the various whispered voices in Elemental Crucifixion before if returns with some blasting mayhem. Like with the previous album, whilst certain tracks may be more enjoyable for some, ultimately there are no “standout” songs that can be isolated and listened to on their own. This is an inorganic whole that must be consumed in one sitting to feel the full effect and to be able to truly understand and appreciate the great skill that has created this album. A truly remarkable release, and I look forward to hearing what further monstrosities these hooded demons wish to unleash upon the world. It will be hard to equal this, but I’m sure it will be done, since the mysterious figures behind Irkallian Oracle did produce a worthy follow-up to Grave Ekstasis. A must buy for fans of droning Death Metal. 8.5/10.